Getty Tom Brady's postgame remarks sounded like a goodbye message to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Brady declined to get into specifics about his future. Yet, the legendary quarterback ended his press conference by sending what sounded like a goodbye message to the Buccaneers media members.
To be clear, Brady could have been merely thanking the media for another season of coverage, but the tone of the comments has prompted plenty of speculation on social media. The Score’s Jordan Schultz reposted the remarks asking whether Brady just said goodbye to Tampa.
“I just want to say thank you guys for everything this year,” Brady said during his January 16, 2023 postgame press conference. “I really appreciate all your effort. I know it’s hard for you guys too. It’s hard for us players to make it through [the season]. You guys got a tough job. I appreciate all that you guys do to cover us and everyone who watches and is a big fan of the sport.
“We’re very grateful for everyone’s support. I love this organization. It’s a great place to be. Thank you everybody for welcoming me. And [to] all you regulars, just very grateful for the respect, and I hope I gave the same thing back to you guys. So, thank you very much. Appreciate it.”
Brady on Future: ‘Let’s Just Be One Day at a Time’
Brady can officially begin negotiating with teams as a free agent on March 13, and the quarterback’s deal has a clause that prevents the Bucs from using the franchise tag on the seven-time Super Bowl champ. The NFL legend could also retire and begin his new life as a Fox analyst, but would the quarterback want to end his career with a season filled with such inconsistent play as evidenced once again during the disappointing loss to the Cowboys. Brady brushed off questions about this future after the Bucs were eliminated by emphasizing his plan to take things “one day at a time, truly.”
“I’m gonna go home and get a good night’s sleep, as good as I can tonight,” Brady responded when asked about his future. “…This has been a lot of [the] focus on this game. So yeah, let’s just be one day at a time, truly.”
Who Will Be the Bucs QB1 If Brady Moves On?
If Brady is not back with the Buccaneers, Tampa Bay finds itself in less than ideal conditions as a team that went all-in to build a roster around the superstar in each of the last three seasons. This is reflected by the Bucs projected to be more than $42 million above the salary cap this offseason.
The Buccaneers could be in the market for a new QB1 if Brady moves on with Kyle Trask as the lone quarterback on the roster for 2023. Trask has been unable to win the backup quarterback job behind Brady in either of the last two seasons. There are star quarterbacks like Derek Carr and Lamar Jackson who could be available in the trade market, but the Bucs’ salary cap woes would make a blockbuster deal challenging to pull off.